Ultimate Unwrap v2.02

Community Forums/Developer Stations/Ultimate Unwrap v2.02

jhocking(Posted 2003) [#1]
Brad just let me know Ultimate Unwrap version 2.02 has been released. This tidbit from the new features list is especially interesting:

"3dsmax 5.0 plugins now export mesh-level deformation animation, Skin and Bones animation, and Character Studio Biped/Physique animation."

I have yet to test how well the exporter actually works, but the idea is that now you can export directly to Ultimate Unwrap from 3D Studio Max and then save to any other file format supported by Ultimate Unwrap, including b3d. This is similar to but slightly easier than exporting to .x format and converting to b3d using Ultimate Unwrap.


Beaker(Posted 2003) [#2]
I tried it earlier and its damn cool.


Skitchy(Posted 2003) [#3]
It's great. The only thing that is missing is vertex-level animation data. Bones and skin work perfectly as does hierarchy animation. Currently this is by far the best route from Max -> B3D.

Oh, and it does something called 'texturing' as well as file conversion ;)


jhocking(Posted 2003) [#4]
Heh, the texturing tools in Ultimate Unwrap have been mature for so long the only place for addition is in "side" features like animation and file conversion. Brad has surprised me with the last several additions (2nd UV set? Who saw that coming? I'm a beta tester and he still snuck that one by) so I'm rather curious what he has in store next.

It just occurred to me that the original post was about Ultimate Unwrap, a really useful 3D art tool. The first reply was from MasterBeaker, whose FONText is a fantastic bitmap font tool. The second reply was from Skitchy, whose Lightbulb is a really useful lightmapping tool. At this rate this thread will be a development tool shopping list.


Difference(Posted 2003) [#5]
Getting it now, sounds cool.

Someone should suggest a "swap UVs" to Brad Bolthouse, so that you can swap the one you are working on with the background one.
There's a Copy UVSets from 1 > 2 or 2 < 1, but not a swap as far as I can tell.
You loose the one you copy to...


Dock(Posted 2003) [#6]
Oh wow, this I didn't see coming!! MAX/Blitz users have been anxious for a seamless solution, and this is better than most. One great thing about this system is that it allows for the model to be imported back into MAX, should it be necessary.


Dock(Posted 2003) [#7]
Eep... I've only just tried since upgrading to Unwrap 3D 2.0, but it seems that my .B3D plugin isn't showing up at all! It's in the plugins directory with all the others. Any idea what the problem is?


jhocking(Posted 2003) [#8]
Have you tried downloading the plugin again?

Peter, why do you need to swap UVs? I'ld be happy to suggest it if there is a good reason. As it is I rather wonder what copying UV sets is useful for.


Dock(Posted 2003) [#9]
Ah, all the plugins on the download have been updated for Unwrap 2.0! Oops. ^_^ B3D is working fine now! I tested out the U3D export in MAX, and it works really well, I was able to export my BAN character to B3D format without any problems at all. Give my thanks to Brad ^_^


Difference(Posted 2003) [#10]
@jhocking: To work on one texure set, then work on the other. Is there another way?


jhocking(Posted 2003) [#11]
Well yeah. At the top go to the "Select" menu. At the bottom of that menu is "Select UV set." Use that to choose which UV set to work on. No need to copy between sets, just work directly on the one you want.


Difference(Posted 2003) [#12]
Problem solved, thanks a lot Joe.
Totally missed that.


Difference(Posted 2003) [#13]
One question more:

Moving a group, with a group modifier (Move), seems to move only the vertices, and not the pivot, so that when you load into Blitz, Entity position is no longer the center of the group, as it was in Max.

Is this correct? If it is, is there another way to move a group so that the pivot is moved also?

[EDIT] : I quess what I wan't to do is move the bone...


jhocking(Posted 2003) [#14]
Unfortunately Ultimate Unwrap does not support pivot points. As a result pivot points for all groups are set to the model origin.